Protect Virginia Water - Station Carpark redevelopment
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There have been suggestions that the Station and the car parks may be going to be redeveloped for several years. While there is no actual planning application yet, the area was extensively surveyed in February 2006 and it appears that proposals are being formulated. The information we have in the public domain at present can be summarised as follows:
Runnymede Borough Council issued a “Planning Brief” for the Bourne Car Park in 2001 that said that the preferred land use would be “high density residential development”. Concerns were expressed at that time about the loss of car parking space and the additional pressure further residential development would make on the local infrastructure so soon after the Virginia Park and St Ann’s Park developments, and with the prospect of a further 70-80 dwellings still to be built on the playing field at St Ann’s Heath School.
In October 2005, a request was made for a “Scoping Opinion” as a precursor to an Environmental Impact Assessment for improved station facilities, a 32,000 sq.ft. food store, 145 residential apartments and associated car parking. The Outline Plans (PDF, 698KB) appear to show the store/warehouse taking up the whole of the Bourne Car Park, with a two storey car park on the site of the existing Station Car Park, and 145 apartments in three blocks over both the store and car park, making a 5 storey block overall. It also appears that the Memorial Gardens car park and some of the roadside parking on Station Approach would be lost, the Station access realigned with a roundabout outside the station, and one of the existing two access points from Christchurch Rd closed. Any proposal like this raises several concerns such as:
- traffic implications
- Loss of car parking spaces
- parking provision for the residents of the 145 new apartments
- noise and pollution from delivery lorries, including refrigeration units
- access for the delivery lorries (and Network Rail maintenance lorries) via the narrow road past the Library & Nursery
- impact on the existing small shops and businesses.
In November 2005, the Council issued the Scoping Opinion (PDF, 1419KB) that listed issues that will need to be addressed such as impact the development might have on the nature conservation objectives of Chobham Common, surface water drainage, noise, visual impacts, traffic and parking issues.
In March 2006, the Council issued an Annual Monitoring Report (PDF, 1191KB) on the development of the new Local Development Framework. Appendix C (220kb download in new window) of this shows 145 new dwellings being planned for the Station Car Park Virginia Water.
When any further details or planning application are available, the details will be added to this page.